


Fog as Thick as Grief

by LozB4



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:47:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24569494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LozB4/pseuds/LozB4
Summary: After finding out the news about Clan Lavellan, the Inquisitor vanishes from Skyhold leaving Dorian (with a little help from Cole) to retrieve his Amatus from his wanderings of Thedas in time to save the world and all that.
Relationships: Male Inquisitor/Dorian Pavus, Male Lavellan/Dorian Pavus
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Fog as Thick as Grief

**Author's Note:**

> It took me about 7 gameplays to discover that Clan Lavellan is wiped out because of a war table mission (helps when you read the mission reports apparently) so when I found out I wanted to write a sad but fluffy fic feat. Dorian saving the day

Dorian is not rushing about Skyhold per say but he is frantically searching every room in the hopes of finding the Inquisitor. Well perhaps he is rushing. 

"Dorian!" 

Dorian pauses in his search for his Elven lover in a broom cupboard as the spymaster approaches from down the hallway.

"There you are- could you talk to the Inquisitor we have tried to give him time but there are urgent matters that we need him to see to. We thought maybe you could speak with him."

"Chance would be a fine thing my dear. I haven't seen him for 3 days I just assumed you had him locked up in the war room." 

A frown crosses Leliana's face but she doesn’t say anything.

"Why do I need to speak to him anyway?"

"You don't know?"

"Like I said I haven't seen him for days. That's why I'm looking."

"That does explain why you are in a broom cupboard. Heaven forbid you actually do some cleaning. We received word 3 days ago from the Free Marches. Clan Lavellan was wiped out by bandits. Any that remain are scattered too far for even us to collect."

Dorian's heart seizes in his chest with grief on the behalf of his lover who spent many an evening retelling stories of his clan, and speaking of the time when he would finally be free to go back to them. In some ways it feels like Dorian knows them and indeed he wished he could have. 

"How did he take it?"

"Strangely. He looked at the report and said nothing, ignored it and gave us our orders. Then he left and nobody has seen him since. We didn't see you either so I assumed you were with him which would have been fine." 

Instantly Dorian begins to regret all the time he spent locked up in his own room pouring over books on ancient Tevintar history, meanwhile his lover was suffering alone elsewhere. 

"Truly, nobody has seen him? He has a habit of stashing himself in small places. I found him sleeping in a closet once. Which you have to admit is slightly ironic." 

With a sigh the spy-master shakes her head. "I'll have the scouts check all the small spaces and the roof, but if you can't find him, I doubt he's here."

"Where would he go- he's the inquisitor. Even if he did go somewhere, people would notice an elf with a glowing green hand." 

"I do not doubt that he could go places unseen if he wished. I've always admired that about him."

"Of course you have. I will continue my search." 

For several more hours Dorian darts around Skyhold, opening every door expecting Frey to be in there, perched on something probably reading a book but usually on the other side of the door is a confused member of the inquisition wondering why the ‘Evil Tevinter Magister’ is checking up on them. 

In his third search of the Inquisitor's vast quarters, whilst he is staring at the ceiling wondering if Frey somehow managed to get into the rafters, there is a quiet voice behind him that startles Dorian enough to make him jump several feet forwards. 

"He's not here." 

With a sigh Dorian turns to look at Cole who is sitting on the edge of the bed. 

"Cole? Do you know where he is?"

"Rain on numb skin. It feels like tears. The waves are rolling. The fog is thick as grief. Alone." 

"Cole. Where. Is. He?" The spirit doesn't answer, simply getting up and heading for the door, a small pat on Dorian's chest first over his heart before he vanishes. 

Nowhere in Skyhold matches Cole's description so clearly the Inquisitor has left. But where. Where on earth would he go? The Free Marches? 

Then Dorian truly pauses to think. The Inquisitor is too noble to ever abandon the Inquisition, he wouldn't sail for different shores. However he may go to the closest thing. 

The Storm Coast, just across the sea from home. 

Rain, waves, fog. The storm coast checked all boxes. And that it would seem was where Dorian was going. 

As a curtesy he stops by Leliana first. "I'm going to find Frey."

"You know where he is? None of my scouts have reported seeing him. He could have gone somewhere we haven't reclaimed yet."

"I am lead to believe by our dear spirit friend, that he has gone to the Storm Coast. As close as he can get to home I suppose."

"I can get scouts to look for him." She asks already reaching for paper but Dorian holds up a hand to stops her. 

"No- No it should be me." 

It takes Dorian a few days of hard riding to reach the Storm Coast, at which he is greeted by heavy rain and cold. Delightful.

He rides to an Inquisition camp first, almost positive that Leliana has located the Inquisitor but not made contact and sure enough the requisition officer nods to him. "Ser- the inquisitor, he has a small camp just north of here. We were told not to talk to him though."

"Thank you." Is all Dorian says before clicking his tongue and guiding his horse on across the sodden ground.

Finally after almost a week with no sighting of his lover he sees him sitting upon a rocky outcrop, unmoving, just staring into the sea. And every few seconds getting soaked by it. 

With slow steps Dorian makes his way over, sitting down close to Frey without a word. In the back of his head a sarcastic comment about getting his robes ruined passes by but the thought of saying it out loud doesn't entice him.

Its not long ago that Dorian would have point plank refused to sit on such a rock for the fear of destroying the fine robes he keeps as a last memory of his riches in Tevintar but now he finds he simply doesn't care. What have I become? He thinks idly. 

Better. 

He is a far reach from the self centred boy the inquisitor met in a chantry those short months ago. 

And whilst the experiences he's been through and most definitely walking through the fade have matured him. Its mainly the elf he sits next to who is responsible for such a change. 

How could he not be better when the one he loves is practically a shrine of kindness.

For a few moments neither says a word but unconsciously Frey leans in closer to Dorian so their shoulders hold the other up. 

"Amatus- I... I heard about your clan. I am so sorry." 

With a sigh Frey looks up at the sky which still pelts them in rain. 

"I should have gone back. Kaffas I should have never left!" Dorian can't help the little curl of satisfaction that his amatus has picked up one of his expressions but that is not his priority. 

"Amatus- I know you have a far reach now but you are just one elf. Had you stayed, you could not have saved them."

"I'm the keeper's first- they're my responsibility. I was meant to protect them instead I stayed here to play hero! I should have gone back. And died with them."

"And the world along with you?" 

Frey looks down at his hand, his focus making the anchor crackle into life. 

"I'm the inquisitor. I have a reach as far as the Empress of Orlais and the King of Ferelden combined. How could I not save my own family?" 

"Did you send Inquisition forces there?"

"Yes..."

"And you had Josephine negotiate with the people in Ostwick?"

"Well yes but-"

"And Leliana's spies were there too. Amatus what more could you have done? If you had gone yourself Corypheus would have defeated us and ripped apart the world. And your family still wouldn't be saved. You have the power of the gods but sometimes you must remember. You are only one man. A small one at that." 

A tiny smile sparks across Frey's face at the insult before he looks back out to sea, using his anchored hand to wipe the salt water from his face, whether it is tears or seawater Dorian will never know. 

"I came here to feel close to home. But I've never felt further from it. Until you arrived." 

Tenderly Dorian puts an arm around his elf, resting their heads together. 

"You'll always have a home when I'm here."


End file.
